High Vis clothing is a category of highly luminescent garments which does not fade into the background colors. High visibility shirts are visible to the naked eye even in broad daylight and, of course, at night. ISO or international organization for standardization has set specific criteria for the quality and visibility of High Vis clothing. You must always follow these standards as per the ISO guidelines to manufacture or sell custom safety shirts or other safety garments. To purchase them, you need to be aware of standards and necessary procedures to make a decent choice. Employees in factories, workshops, or in many more different industries need to wear work uniforms. Most of the workwear is designed only for safety purposes. In particular, this applies to huge industries with heavier pieces of equipment and machinery. This article will serve as a complete guide for selecting, purchasing, or selling High Vis clothing. We will walk you through specific standards set by ISO, which you must know before getting into this.
EN ISO 20471
The ISO standard for High Vis Clothing is EN ISO 20471. This specific standard code is a set of guidelines that must be followed so that the workers/labor can work safely in the field. It imposes certain essential conditions on High Vis Clothing or visible workwear for employees working in high-risk areas. The safety workwear must be adequately selected, appropriately selected, and prioritized. EN ISO 20471 certified safety workwear is essential in keeping your employees safe while focusing on their job. They will be vividly visible at night and day times. High Vis Clothing makes them visible from all sight angles, even from the rear, which they cannot see. EN ISO 20471 has been divided into three classes.
Class 1
The workwear rated as class 1 only covers minimum body parts and is appropriate for low-risk areas. Around 0.10m² of reflective tape and 0.14m² of fluorescent material is the agreed-upon quantity of visible material used for this class.
Class 2
This class of High Vis Clothing covers average body parts and is considered best for normal-risk areas. Around 0.13m² of reflective tape and 0.50m² of fluorescent material is the proper quantity of visible material used for this class.
Class 3
For High-risk areas, this class of High Vis Clothing is used. Almost 0.20m² of reflective tape and 0.80m² of fluorescent material must be used in manufacturing to ensure maximum visibility of an employee working in the field.
Why is High Vis Clothing needed?
Wearing High Vis shirts, pants, and other clothing of the category prevents workplace accidents and lacerations by ensuring that both see your labor, each other, and anyone else who might come in the area. It becomes highly significant for workers in the oil & gas industry, railway, airports, and transportation industry. Workers in other sectors like sanitation, first responders, and construction workers can benefit significantly from increased visibility.
So, how does one maximize the safety of labor in the field? Well, the answer lies in High Vis Clothing. Hence, more visibility may lead to an increase in safety exponentially. The key to choosing the most appropriate High Vis Clothing is ensuring that it must not blend in with your work environment.
Which Colors Provide Maximum Visibility?
The American National Standards Institute has given a list of three colors that you may choose for higher visibility. They are Fluorescent lime, Orange, and Red. These colors can provide maximum visibility during daytime, which is the primary expectation from High Vis Clothing. Why are these colors selected? They provide exceptional contrast to your labor’s environment. Suppose you have red equipment on your site; choosing Fluorescent lime will enhance your workers’ visibility during workhours. Around 99% of the High Visibility shirts of the world are made using these colors.
How to Choose High Vis Clothing?
It is vital to consider your team’s work environment before selecting the suitable High Vis Clothing. Is weather a factor on-site? Is there a possibility of a fire? How about short circuits or electrical arks? Enhanced built-in features in High Vis Clothing may protect your workers when facing specific hazards on site.
You may increase the efficiency and output of your workers by providing the clothing with features like pockets, tool slots, and easy access to wireless equipment.
It would be best if you did not ignore the comfort levels of your workers. Flexibility, easy mobility, and lightweight fabrics may lead to more excellent work outputs.
In the end, everything relies on durability. High Vis Jackets have a minimal life span. Due to increased usage, they may lose visibility which is their primary function. You must replace Hight Vis Clothing after every six months to keep it in its prime.
How to choose the best High Visibility Shirts?
We have already discussed a few factors which you must consider before buying High Vis Clothing. Aside from those factors, material choice is essential. Choosing moisture ridding fabric will keep your team dry and keep them active while they are on site. As a result, they are more active and focused; hence, the probability of human error, accidents, and injuries decreases significantly.
To boost your team’s morale, you may provide your team with several options to choose from. Please provide them with half sleeves in warmer weather and long sleeve to keep them warm during the colder season. Your preferences must change with your environment.
While working on-site, chafing becomes an irritating problem. Tag-free High Vis Clothing can help prevent that. For comfort and breathability, try to choose options with button-up neck openings.
Products to choose from
Without proper homework, going into the market might turn into an irritating headache at the end of the day. You may even end up making incorrect choices. High Vis Clothing comes into the market in many shapes and forms. They are chosen concerning the industry where they are going to be used. They can be High Vis Jackets, High Vis Shirts, High Vis Overalls, High Vis Jumpers, High Vis T-shirts, and other types of workwear. However, custom High Vis shirts are also available in the market and are in great demand. It is essential to make sure that you buy the correct type of High Vis Clothing before placing an order. We have already discussed the different classes and how they are rated concerning the level of risk. So, before buying safety wear, you must know the risk level of the industry for which you are trying to procure it. Thus, after the risk assessment, choose the class and, in the end, products. Thousands of brands offer multiple choices for similar products.
Conclusion
Visibility on-site is the most critical factor of the safety department in any field. Ensuring the visibility of the workers can maximize their safety. High Vis Clothing has attained cosmic importance in all the major industries around the globe. We have discussed a few guidelines and standards you must look for before purchasing. From ISO rules to ANSI standards, all are essential. High Vis shirts, custom safety shirts, custom High Vis shirts, High Vis Jackets, High Vis apparel, High Vis overalls are some of the leading faces in High Vis Clothing. Durability, comfort, and fabric choice are a few factors that you must prioritize before the purchase. Also, keeping the opinion of your workers can lead to better outputs. Keeping safety inspectors in the fold while purchasing might be a good idea.
